Olive stuffing machine



Sept. 9, 1952 1.. H. SMITH 2,609,853

OLIVE STUFFING MACHINE Filed May 23, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE N TOR LAURENCE H. SMITH 16/: ATTOHNE Y Sept. 9, 1952 1.. H. SMITH OLIVE STUFFING MACHINE 6 Sheets-She et 2 Filed May 23, 1947 m mw NH. mm 7% w M a his AT TORNE Y P 1952 H. SMITH 2,609,853

OLIVE STUFFING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. LAURENCE H. SMITH MXW bis ATTORNEY Sept. 9, 1952 1.. H. SMITH 2,609,853

- 01.1w: STUFFING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1947 s Shets-Sheet .5

A? D 7 E [111 [AL L avvzzvron 3 q LAURENCE r1. sum-1 his A 7" TORNE Y Sep 9. 52 L. H. SMITH 2,609,853

OLIVE STUFFING MACHINE Filed May 23, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR LAURENCE H. SMITH In: ATTORNEY MK W paths.

Patented Sept. 9, 1952 r 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE j OLIVE STUFFING MACHINE Laurence H. Smith, akland, Calif.

Application May23, 1947, Serial No. 750,040

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine for stuffing a pitted olive with a piece of pimiento.

Among objects of the invention are the provision of means for presenting in position to be worked on a succession of pitted olives at a work station, and mechanism forinserting into the recess left by the pit, a quantity of stuffing or filler material.

The invention has other objects which will be explained in the following description of that form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this single embodiment, but may be included in a plurality of forms as set forth in the claims.

Pickled green olives stuffed with pimiento have long been afavored food relish, but because of theirproduction by laborious hand labor, costs have been high. I

Mechanism for pitting the olives is available, but so far as I am aware, the insertion of a morsel of pimiento into the hollow olive has always been manually performed. Broadly then, the purpose of my invention is the provision of a machine into which pitted olives may be fed by an attendant, and including devices for holding the olives, straightening them up, placing them in.

,work position under a stufiing head, and then carrying them out of the machine. Concurrently in? another part of the machine, slices of pimiento are received from an attendant, squeezed touniform cross section, delivered to the stuffing head, and inserted into the olives, which the previous instant, have arrived in the work position.

Each olive and its filler piece of pimiento follow a definite progression of steps along a determined path or course to their union at the work station. To increase the capacity of the machine, it is made with a pluralityof such In the presently described machine, seven paths or courses are provided for the olives and fourteen paths for the pimiento strips, the three coming into operative unity undera bank of two rows of seven stuffing heads each, so that fourteen stuffed olives leave the stufling head bank with the completion of each "cycle of operations. 1

The speed of the conveying means and correlated mechanisms are of course such as to permit the attendants to place the olives and filler stripsin the machine, and with three competent persons feeding, the completion of 20 cycles per minute is easily possible which with a sevencourse machine operating fourteen stuffing heads, gives a capacity of perhaps 16,800stuffed I sides.

. heads.

. '2 olives per hour. This is of courseienormously greater than the three attendants could possibly a do by hand stuffing.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine, one end being broken away to reduce the length of the view; Figure 2 is a side elevation of themachine; portions being broken away to show the underlying parts. Figure 3 is a side elevation of that part of the machine embodying the bank of'stufiing heads and Figure 4 is a vertical-sectional view of the same bank, taken in a plane indicated by the line '4-4 of Figure 1. :Figure l 5 is a horizontal'sec'tional view of the stuifing head bank of the machine, taken in a plane indicated by the line 5'-5 of Figure 2. Figure 6 is: a vertical sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line B-6 of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of thatlpart of the machine embodying the bank of olive straightening spindles; and Figure 8 is a vertical sectional'view of the same part, taken on the line 8 B of Figure 1. Figure 9 is a plan View of one end of the machine (right end of Figure 2); and Figure ,10 is an elevation of the same end. Figures 11 and .12. are vertical sectional views taken in the planesindicated respectively by the lines HH and 12-42 of Figure 9. Figures l3 and l l are both elevations, o'f'oneof the stuffing heads, but at different times during. its operation. Figures 15 and 16 are elevations of one of the stuffing heads taken from opposite Figure 17 is a large scale detail of the-end of oneof the straightening spindles. Referring first to Figures 1 and '2, my machine includes a frame 2, having legs,3, and,in which is arranged an endless conveyor; comprising chains 4, sprockets 6, shafts ,1 and 8 and link or surface plates 9, two of which are positioned together and at the same time under the stuffing Between the supporting sprockets the upper reaches of the conveyor chain ride along a trackway l0, pivotally mounted on link-sjt2, three of which are pivotally mounted1on each side of the frame. The trackway is adjustable in height by means of the conventional latchpin handle l3, rigidly fixed for movementwiththe shaft 14 on which the middle pair of links is fixed. The link plates form, the workingrsurface of the machine; and each contains a plurality of recesses l6 (seven in this embodiment) in which the olives rest while they pass thru the machine. Since olives are graded for size'before stufiing, it is necessary to adjust the height of their supporting meansto insure their same horizontal plate 6|, are arranged to slide;

naled near each end of the plate is a roller (52,v

aeoassa presentation under the working heads. In practice, five different levels may be required and so five holes I! are provided for the latch pin of the handle.

The conveyor is given a step-by-step motion to present two of the link plates at a time in succession under the working heads; and this is accomplished by a ratchet arm l8 carrying the pawl l9 and journaled on the shaft 8, close to the ratchet wheel 2|, which is fixed to the shaft. The ratchet arm is reciprocated by the link 22, carried by a crank pin on the sprocket 23, fixed on the shaft 24, journaled in bearings arranged on the vertical frame extension 26.

The sprocket 23 is rotated continuously during operation of the machine by the chain '27, which is driven by a sprocket on the shaft of the gear reduction unit 28 directly connected to motor 29, arranged on top of the frame extension 26. other mechanism in the machine, the chain 21 passes over sprocket 36 fixed on shaft 3|, also journaled in the frame extension 23, before reaching the sprocket 23. Thereafter it passes to and around the sprocket 32, fixed on shaft 33, journaled in a vertical frame extension 34,

' and back over the idler 36 to the motor sprocket.

Means are provided for conveying the'olives to So that the one motor 29 may drive so that rotation of the shaft raises and lowers the plate.

Fixed rigidly on the plate and extending downwardly therefrom in two parallel rows of seven each, are the stufiing tubes 6'6, terminating at their lower ends in shallow bells 67. The spacing of these tubes and their vertical movement is such that as a pair of olive-carrying conveyor plates pauses below the stuffing head bank, the plate Si is dropped by the cam 63; and a bell-ended stuffing tube seats firmly over each olive. The stuning of the olive then takes place and the plate 6! is thrust upwardly by the cam. This lifts each stufiing tube free of the underlying olive, the conveyor then moves ahead one step to carry the stuffed olives forwardly and move the succeeding pair of conveyor plates into position below the tubes, whereupon the cycle is repeated.

The end of a strip of pimiento is introduced into the stuffing tube thru an aperture 68 in the side, when the tube is in low position; and means are provided for severing the end in the tube 1 and ejecting this piece from the tube into the olive the stufiing head bank; and during their pro- 7 gress to that station, straightening them up into a position with the long axis of the olive vertical.

Fixed in brackets 37, two on each side of the frame 34, are short vertical shafts 38. Slidably mounted on these shafts by means of a bracket bearing 39 adjacent each corner thereof is a plate 4|. Reciprocal motion in a vertical direction is imparted to the plate by cams 42 fixed on shaft 33 and bearing against cam rollers 43 journaled on the plate. With this construction, the plate is lifted by the cams and then follows the cam down because of its Weight.

J ournaled in the plate are a plurality of vertical spindles 46, in this case, two rows of seven spindles each. Each of the spindles terminates at its lower end in a short annular flange or skirt 4'! within which are a plurality of points 48. The olives which are oval in shape are placed in the 1 recesses l6 by an attendant but are not always in proper position to bestuffed. When the end of the rotating spindle sinks into a pitted olive which leans to one side, it is forced into axial alignment gear 49. The spindles are arranged in two rows, extending across the machine and each of the gears 49 is in mesh with the next one in the row.

A driving gear on the shaft of the motor 52, is in mesh with a gear of each row, so that all of the spindles rotate together. The motor 52 is carried by the bridge bracket 53, mounted on the 1 plate 4|. As pairs of plates 9 pass out from under the straightening spindles in an intermittent movement, each plate carries seven olives with long axis vertically erect and ready to be stuffed I of stuffing heads.

Mounted. on opposite vertical sides 55 of the frame by brackets 51 are fixed vertical guide rods 58,"on which bearing brackets 59, carrying the Jourafter it has been caught below the bell.

Slidably arranged in each tube 36 is an ejector rod Hi. All the rods are fixed rigidly in the ejector plate ii, mounted for vertical movement on the guide rods 58 by a bearing bracket [2, arranged on each end of the plate.

The ejector plate isgiven an independent vertical movement by a pair of like cams 13, fixed on the shaft 3|, near opposite ends of the plate; and working against cam rollers 13a, journaled on bearing blocks 14 fixed-to the plate. Springs 75 interposed between the plate and the frame effect the upward recovery movement of the plate after it has been thrust down by the cams.

The lower end of each of the ejector rods is concave, and. since this end pushes out the pimiento, the stuffed end of the olive is left smooth and with the curvature of the olive. The concave end also tends to force the substance of the pimiento towards its own center and away from the wall of the tube.

Extending from opposite sides of the tube and about midway of the length of the aperture 68, are studs 76 on each of which a slotted rocker ll slides and pivots. Motion of the rockers'is controlled by the lever 18 pivoted in the bracket 19 extending from the tube; The lever is pivotally connected to each rocker by a pin 80 journaled in a bearing 8| fixed on the rocker. The rockers which lie; one on each side of the tube, are connected by a gate 82 comprising a short section of the tube; and the parts are so proportioned and arranged that this gate is aligned with the adjacent tube wall to substantially close the aperture 38 when the ejector rod descends past it to eject the piece of pimiento. It then swings back to clear the aperture so that a strip of pimiento may be introduced into the tube. These two positions are shown in Figures 14 and 13 respectively. The lower edge 83 of the gate and the adjacent edge of the tube are both sharpened to a cutting edge, and when the gate closes upon the strip, which tends to fold up as it is pushed in, the gate not only compresses the folded strip into a slug filling the bore of the tube, but severs it cleanly exactly at the entrance to the tube.

Since operation of the gate must be timed with movement of the ejector rod, the lever 18 is operated by a cam face 84, cut in the side of the ejector rod. At its upper end the lever 78 is bifurcated to enclose the tube with the arms 86. A pin 87 carried at the end of the arms engages aeoaisse the cam thru a notchi-n the side of the tube;

and a spring 88 interposed between points .on the rocker and tubeztends :to keep the pin 181 :against :thecam and open the gate when the cam permits.

Eormedon the lower end of the lever 18 is a tongue '89 whichiprojects thru a hole in the wall of the tube and blocks the passage thru the tube just below the gate, when the gate is open. The purpose of the tongue is to catch the end of the limp strip of pimiento as it enters the tube andw cause the strip to form a downwardly opening hairpin fold. Since the pimiento strip is fed a predetermined distance with each operation, the length of strip folded into the tube isa'lways the same. and the folded portion compressed into a slug or charge which is then pusheddown into the olive, the movement of the lever to close the gate, concurrently pullingout the tongue to clear the bore 'of'the tube. 1 a i 7 Means are provided for feeding a continuous supply of pimiento strips tothe stuifing heads. A horizontal conveyor belt -9-I, preferably faced with a waterproof fiexiblematerial, is arranged to run over pulleys 9-2, journaled in bearings on opposite sides-of the frame extension 93. This framemayextend out at-an angle as shown, or it may extend in the same direction as the main frame. The angular arrangement is thought to give a more convenient :access to the machine by the attendants.

Closely overlying the belt9l are a plurality of guide bars 94 pointed at one end and spaced apart to provide seven passages 90 leading to a grooved forming roller 91. supported on the cross bar 98 and extend close to the roller. An attendant lays strips of pimiento on the belt 9| in position to enter the passages 96, thru which they pass under the roller, the grooves 99 of which squeeze the strip to size and pass it along into passages IOI formed in the underside of the cover plate I02. The roller is journaled in bearings I03 vertically slidably arranged on the frame; and is strongly resiliently held down against the belt by springs I04; the belt at this point being supported by the underlying plate I05 secured at each side to the frame. A motor I06 carried by a bracket on the frame, drives the conveyor belt 9| thru gear reduction I01 and chain I08 to a sprocket I09 on the shaft of one of the pulleys 92. A rod IIO extending across the cover plate and pivotally carried in brackets III thereon provides a latch for holding the cover plate down. The downturned ends of the rod are turned in to form a stub pin II2 which may be latched under the arcuate lug H3 on each side of the frame.

The conveyor belt runs continuously, and faster than the feed will be, closer to the stuffing tubes; with the result that any interval between pieces of pimiento will be closed up by the time the strips reach the stuffing tubes.

At the end of the plate I02, each passag I8I opens adjacent to a tube II4, which is supported on the frame top H5 and extend toward the stuffing heads, curving in to end just in front of them as best shown in Figure 5. Thru each tube extends an endless chain IIO, which passes 7 around the roller H1 at one end and the roller I I8 at the other, then up over the driving sprocket H9 and under the idler roller I2I. This chain may be a fiat wire link or a ball link, both of well known pattern, and the size of the links relative to the bore of the tubes is such as to When the gate closes, the strip is severed The guide bars are the stufling tube aperture.

' causethemxto embed the pimiento-strip and :propel it thru" the tube. V

In .ordert permit the chains to swing :to :one side after leaving the sprockets jIkI9they are arranged with plenty of slack in the :upper reach. Cross bars I2I and I122, each with guide apertures ithru which the. chains pass, help .to :keep the upper .reaches in place. The "sprockets are spaced .palonga drive shaft I23, driven-intermittently by .the gears I.2 hand I226, the former "being ausegment only and fixed on shaft I21, connectedato shaft. 2:4 by chain I28 pver .suitable sprockets. A :spring pressed pawl 1.29 engaging the gear 126 prevents :back ilash and misalignzmentvof teeth due-to the drag of the chains. Movement is slow enoughrs that there is no tendency to over run.

,As the .pimiento strips leave the ends 101 the tubes, each is thrust alongashortshallow tapered trough iI'3lI which ends close .tozthelower edge of The segment gear drive of the feeder .chainsis timed so that a strip of pimiento of sufficient length "leaveseach tube and fills the associated trough, immediately following the upward motion of the. ejector .rods

- .1 0,.'and the opening of thegate.

Means are provided for seizing the strip in'the the gate closes :and servers .the strip, the .trough 21s leftfull of the :next succeeding :charge. Extending across the troughs is a bar .Il32,9proyided with downwardly extending studs. I33 terminatingin points. The bar is part of a frame 134 which includes two rods I35, slidably arranged in bearing blocks I36, fixed on the plate 6 I. Thus the bar I32 carrying the points is raised and lowered with the plate GI, and by setting the points at the proper height, they will engage the pimiento strip in the trough each time the plate BI drops the Stufiing tubes over the olives; and the gates open. Horizontal motion is given to the bar I32 when the points are in the strips so as to push them into the tubes, by a cam I31 fixed on the shaft I21, and working against cam rollers I38 and I39 journaled on the frame I34. The bar I32 and points I33 thus move around in a rectangular path, the pimiento strip being moved into the stufiing tube in that part of the path corresponding to the base of the rectangle.

The feeding devices just xplained supply seven of the fourteen stuffing heads in the bank, and the other seven are supplied by a similar mechanism on the opposite side of the bank and occupying the position indicated by the dotted lines of Figure l. Since construction and operation of the duplicate feeds are identical, except as to the reversed position of the parts, the second feeding devices need not be shown or described.

I claim:

1. An olive stuffing machine comprising a, tube having an opening in the side, a gate having a cuttin edge and for closing the opening, means for introducing a strip of stufiing material into the tube thru said opening, means for positioning a pitted olive adjacent the end of the tube, means for closing the gate to sever the strip within the tube from that outside the tube, and means for ejecting the stufiing material from the tube into the olive.

2. An olive stuffing machine comprising a tube having an opening in the side, a gate having a cutting edge and for closing the opening, means for introducing a strip of stuiiing material into the tube thru said opening, means for positioning a pitted olive adjacent the end of the tube.

an ejector rod within the tube for ejecting the stuffing material from the tube into the olive, and means actuated by the rod for closing the gate to sever the strip within the tube from that outside the tube.

3. An olive stuffing machine comprising a frame, a row of tubes each having an opening in the side. and arranged vertically in the frame, conveyor means extending under the tubes and having a plurality of rows of olive seats arranged across the conveyor, means for moving the conveyor in step-by-step motion to align successive rows of olive seats under the row of tubes, a horizontal trough adjacent the lower part of the opening in each tube, conveyor means for deliveringa strip of stuffing material to each trough, mean including points to engage the strip for pushing the strip from each trough through the side opening and into the tube, means closing thetube, and means acting in. time with the first named conveyor means for ejecting the strip from the tube into the olive.

4. An olive stufiing machine comprising a frame, a pair of plates slidably arranged one above the other in said frame, a plurality of tubes each having a side opening and fixed vertically on the lower plate, a plurality of ejector rods fixed on the upper plate, each rod. engaged in a companion tube, means including a trough adjacent each tube side opening and including feed mechanism for introducing strips of stufiing material into the tubes, a conveyor having olive seats arranged in the frame below the tubes,

8 means for moving the conveyor in a step-by-step motion to align an olive seat below each tube, and means timed with the conveyor for operating the feed mechanism to place a strip of stufiing material in each tube, lower the lower, plate to en gage a tube with each olive, lower the upper plate to eject the stuffing material, and effect recovery movements of each said part to complete a cycle.

LAURENCE H. SMITH.

REFERENCES orran The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 36,683 Van Kannel Oct. 14, 1862 545,564 Whipple Sept. 3, 1895 667,423 Brown Feb. 5, 1901 716,331 Brown Dec. 16, 1902 749,697 Middlekauif et al. Jan. 12, 1904 958,780 Smith May 24, 1910 1,491,968 Plumettaz Apr 29, 1924 1,502,929 Tuttle July 29, 1924 1,742,653 Goranson et a1. Jan. 7, 1930' 1,793,752 Schuler Feb. 24, 1931 2,271,675 Ashlock Jr. Feb. 3, 1942 2,384,429 Ball Sept. 11, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 514,790 France Nov. 18, 1920 

